Where to stay in New York
Midtown keeps many famous sights close but feels commercial; other neighbourhoods trade that for local life and longer subway rides.
Updated: 13 Oct 2026
Manhattan sits between the Hudson and East rivers, with Midtown at its heart, the Village downtown and the Upper West Side beside Central Park; Williamsburg lies across the East River in Brooklyn. Subway lines run north-south under Manhattan's avenues and cross the rivers to the other boroughs, so a short walk to a station served by several lines matters more than a central address. Some routes change at weekends, as when the M stops short of Midtown, so check MTA service alerts before relying on one line.
Quick picks
- First trip: Midtown Manhattan. Many of the city's best-known sights are a walk away, and the Times Sq-42 St complex links 12 subway services.
- Food and evenings: Greenwich Village. Restaurants, bars, jazz clubs and comedy shows are within a short walk of each other, so an evening out can start and end on foot.
- A calmer base: Upper West Side. Its residential side streets between Central Park and Riverside Park are calmer than Midtown's commercial blocks, but the exact block and room still decide how quiet your nights are.
- Local feel: Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Days run on independent coffee roasters, vintage shops, dive bars and McCarren Park rather than headline sights.
1. Midtown Manhattan
Manhattan: Times Square and the Theatre District, Midtown East, Hell's Kitchen, Murray Hill
What it is like: You stay among theatres, office towers and Fifth Avenue shops, with Times Square, Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral a walk away.
Good for: First trips to New York, Broadway shows, Short, sight-packed stays
Skip it if: You want a residential street feel, You are bothered by noise and bright lights
The catch: NYC Tourism calls Midtown "an eruption of noise, flash and color", and Midtown East is business-oriented, so the area can feel commercial rather than lived-in; noise depends on the exact block and room.
Getting around: Times Sq-42 St serves the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, W and S, with the A, C and E at 42 St-Port Authority Bus Terminal in the same complex. Grand Central-42 St adds the 4, 5 and 6, while 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr serves the B, D, F and M.
Nearby: Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, Fifth Avenue
Open in Google Maps, Sources: New York City Tourism + Conventions, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), OpenStreetMap contributors
2. Greenwich Village
Manhattan: Greenwich Village, including the West Village
What it is like: You stay on named streets that break from the grid around Washington Square Park, with restaurants, bars, jazz and comedy clubs close by.
Good for: Dinners and evenings out, Jazz and comedy nights, Exploring on foot
Skip it if: You sleep lightly and want early nights, You plan most days around uptown museums
The catch: Evenings are the draw and the drawback: people line up for comedy on MacDougal Street and some bars are packed at weekends, so noise depends on the exact block and room.
Getting around: W 4 St-Wash Sq serves the A, C, E, B, D, F and M, and the 1 stops at Christopher St-Stonewall and Houston St. On the eastern edge, 8 St-NYU has the R and W.
Nearby: Washington Square Park, MacDougal Street, Bleecker Street, Stonewall National Monument
Open in Google Maps, Sources: New York City Tourism + Conventions, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Wikipedia
3. Upper West Side
Manhattan: Upper West Side, between Central Park and Riverside Park
What it is like: You stay among residential buildings between Central Park and Riverside Park, with the American Museum of Natural History and Lincoln Center close by.
Good for: Museums and Central Park, Lincoln Center performances, Slower, residential stays
Skip it if: You plan most nights downtown or in Brooklyn, You want a nightlife scene on your doorstep
The catch: It is mainly residential and well north of downtown: the local 1 train is timetabled at about 20 minutes from 66 St-Lincoln Center to Chambers St and 25 from 96 St, so late nights downtown or in Brooklyn end with a longer ride back.
Getting around: The 1 stops along Broadway at 66 St-Lincoln Center, 72 St, 79 St, 86 St and 96 St, with the 2 and 3 also at 72 St and 96 St. The B and C stop at 72 St, 81 St-Museum of Natural History, 86 St and 96 St.
Nearby: Central Park, Riverside Park, American Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center
Open in Google Maps, Sources: New York City Tourism + Conventions, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), OpenStreetMap contributors
4. Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Brooklyn: Williamsburg, across the East River from the Lower East Side
What it is like: You stay among independent cafés, vintage shops, music venues and bars, across the East River from Manhattan's Lower East Side.
Good for: Bars and live music, A neighbourhood feel, Repeat visits to New York
Skip it if: You want Manhattan's big sights within walking distance, You need direct trains to Midtown at weekends
The catch: On weekdays the M runs from Marcy Av to 47-50 Sts-Rockefeller Ctr in about 20 to 25 minutes, but at weekends it stops at Delancey St-Essex St, and the L's Manhattan stops are all on 14th Street, so Midtown then means changing trains. Some nightclubs here keep DJs going until 6am, so noise depends on the block and room.
Getting around: The L stops at Bedford Av and at Lorimer St, which connects to the G at Metropolitan Av. The J and M stop at Marcy Av and Hewes St.
Nearby: Bedford Avenue, McCarren Park, Domino Park, Kent Avenue
Open in Google Maps, Sources: New York City Tourism + Conventions, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), OpenStreetMap contributors
